Articles

Franky Mac
by Damian Muncaster

Pleased to hear recently that our famous strike duo are doing so well for themselves. For Frank it wasn't the biggest shock in the world to see him in the News of the World for reasons other than scoring on the football field. But TC, our dearly beloved TC involved in a ticket scam, no wonder he was crying at the end of that final. With the same kind of almost telepathic understanding they had on the field, they manage to get themselves a result in the same week.

Of course Franks crimes are just that bit more glamorous than TC's. Frank was always the Danger mouse with TC being the Penfold. You can imagine Franks arrest being a real Crockett and Tubbs affair, high speed car chase, a no holds bar shoot out and a couple of bikini clad lady mud wrestlers thrown in for good measure. Whereas TC's would have more akin to a scene from Dixon of Dock Green or one of those high tension all action scenes from Aidensfield

" Come along Tony we're taking you down to the station, no funny businessmind" "Ok officer Bradley its a fair cop but I'll just finish me cup of tea".

"David Beckham wouldn't have stood a chance in the headline stakes"

It makes you wonder what Frank would have been like in today's game. David Beckham wouldn't have stood a chance in the headline stakes, instead of Brylcreem he would have endorsing one of those cosmetic surgery clinics for breast enhancements or penis enlargements or a line of Ann Summers sex aids for example " MacAvennie Delay spray" - for moments when I just seem to shoot on sight.

Instead of going out with a spice girl Frank would have been with the world topless darts champion and where Ian Wright has his own chat show Frank would have been presenting Beaver Patrol on men and motors or even better Italian Stripping Housewives.

I'm sure Frank would have been a real anti hero if he was playing today, his life style would really have been to the excess and it still gets me how Frank and Tony two completely different characters hit it off so well on the football pitch.

"But when you take a closer look at things its sad, depressingly sad"

It is of course impossible to condone what Frank has been up to and although as I imagine like most West Ham supporters it brought a smile to my face when it came on the Radio that he'd been arrested, my instant reaction was one of 'that's my boy'. But when you take a closer look at things its sad, depressingly sad, that as a kid some one you idolised, someone you always wanted to be is now pushing drugs in some shitty Geordie night spots probably still trying to live off of that one glorious season when he became our hero.

He should have made enough money out of football to comfortably sustain a good standard of living in later life but unfortunately it looks like its all gone up his nose.

"the individual clubs must realise that footballers aren't always the sharpest tools in the box"

It comes down to education at the end of the day, the FA, PFA and the individual clubs must realise that footballers aren't always the sharpest tools in the box, they are often working class in background and are suddenly given thousands of pounds a week to spend, so once they've bought the fastest cars the sharpest clothes and been to the trendiest night-clubs they still have cash to blow so you look for the next buzz...... what ever that may be.

We seem to be lucky with our young players at West Ham as it seems they realise what type of life style it takes to become the best whether this has come from the club or from role models such as Paolo Di Canio it doesn't matter. But this attitude has to prevail because the influence today's footballers have over youngsters is frightening.

I hope Frank sorts himself out because he seems to have gone down a bit of a desperate road but I will never forget that season when we for once had a strike duo to be feared, a partnership will we never see the like of again. Although in saying that Kanoute and Di Canio has a certain ring to it but that's another article altogether.

Damo

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